The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and an image forming method for receiving and executing a plurality of print jobs. The present invention also relates to an image forming system for performing such an image forming method on a network.
For printing of a plurality of files with a printing apparatus, in general, a user prints each file separately. Therefore, when double-sided printing or intensive printing is executed, a blank page or space may be generated at the end of each file depending on the print page number. Particularly, in the case where for creation of a report or the like, texts are prepared with a word processor software while experimental results are prepared with a spread sheet software, merging separately printed files would involve intervenient occurrence of blank pages, damaging the integrity of the report. It would also be a waste of paper.
In this connection, for example in JP2000-301799A, there has been proposed a technique of applying appropriate scaling to varied page sizes in one job so that these pages are laid out within output pages.
However, in the case where a plurality of files are different in file form from one another, users may find it difficult or, in some cases, impossible to merge those files together before printing.